


Something Special

by superblooper



Category: The Posterchildren - Kitty Burroughs
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:23:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superblooper/pseuds/superblooper





	Something Special

Rosario's birthday was coming up, in the dead heat of summer. Well, "dead heat" didn't do the weather in Oregon justice. Things up here rarely hit anything above 90º F. So Jack could afford to wear his usual trousers and long sleeves, if he didn't mind sweating, which he didn't. However, on occasion, he could be seen with his sleeves pushed up past the elbow, ambling next to Rosario on their way to class. Jack didn't ever remember school during summer time, but he supposed things were different now. Like always, he followed Rosario's lead.

Except, for this one instance, he wanted to slip away, out of Rosario's bubble. With her birthday fast approaching, he wanted to get her something. He was a little fuzzy on what, but he was determined to surprise her with _a gift_ on her day. It felt like... the least he could do. Well as, he just wanted to do something kind for her. But with their situation as it was, he wasn't seeing a lot of possibilities to go out and do some stealth shopping. Heck, he didn't even know if coffeeshop in Wakerobin _had_ anything viable.

He sighed heavily, his cheek pressed into the ridge of his knuckles. Libby looked up from watching Dora the Explorer. After Mrs Galán Grant had suggested Dora, the Queen of All the Boys had leapt at the idea that coercing Jack into watching Dora would naturally expedite his progress in Spanish. Jack somewhat missed Réne now. Or was it Kermit? He couldn't remember.

"¿Qué te pasa, Abuelito?" she asked him, hugging his arm tighter. Little squirt was strong as a boa constrictor sometimes; Jack wasn't looking forward to the shaking the radio static out of his arm when she finally released him. His brows beetled as he worked to translate her question.

_What's wrong, Grandpa?_

That hedged a smile from him. He shifted, so he could cast a cautious gaze around the room. Rosario in the kitchen, her voice mingling with the Sheriff's, obviously distracted. Jack decided it was safe. He leaned down, with the air of bearing a great secret.

"See, Libby, I wanna get your sister something special for her birthday next week," he explained. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, with the hand that wasn't trapped in a Liberty-vice. It was stranger than he expected to voice his request. It felt like he was admitting something. "I've been thinking about it for the past _two_ weeks and I got nothing," he finished, looking imploringly into Libby's big brown eyes. She absorbed what he said with rapt attention, still wrapped like a ribbon around his arm. "You think you can help me puzzle it out?"

Libby considered his request with utmost gravity. Then she smiled, and nodded. "Sí. Pero en Español!" she demanded. Jack should've known better; with the Queen, there was always a price.

"Aw c'mon Libby, you know I don't know how to say all that en Español," he reasoned, trying to switch in some words he _did_ know to placate her Majesty. "¿Por favor?"

It wasn't good enough. Like the royalty she was, Libby lifted her chin high, freeing Jack's arm. She pulled in a big breath, puffing out her chest and blowing out her cheeks. Jack had a sudden flash of realization and braced himself for impact.

" _¡ROSARIO, JACK QUIERE SABER LO QUE QUERES PARA TU COMPLEAÑOS!_ "

Jack understood enough to understand his cover had been blown. "Aw shoot, Libby," he chastised gently. Libby said nothing in return, but regally settled back into the cushions, winding her arm around Jack's, effectively anchoring him to the spot. 

Rosario swept into the room, fixing Libby with a disapproving look. "Don't shout." Her eyes met Jack's, and maybe it was just wishful thinking, but they seemed to warm up a degree or two. "Now why are you causing a riot in the living room?" she addressed him in the same tone, but her expression hinted at her playfulness.

"I'm real sorry about the ruckus, Ma'am," Jack apologized politely, placing his free hand over his heart and dipping his head. The jig was up, so there was no real point beating around the bush. "I was just wondering what a girl like you would want for her birthday?" He didn't know why his stomach was turning, because he was being completely honest.

"A girl like me?" Rosario repeated, cocking her head like a loaded gun.

"One that's gone and broke the mold," he explained, smiling a little. She smiled back. Libby nuzzled into his arm, kipping in for a little afternoon siesta. "Can't imagine what you could want that you haven't gone out and got already." Rosario's smile grew a little bigger, eyes holding his.

Then her expression hardened a little bit, and she drew closer to the back of the couch. Anticipation wormed in Jack's stomach, alive and curling. "You _know_ what I want," Rosario's voice was low and earnest. From that alone, Jack knew what she wanted. The pills. She wanted him to stop taking them. He could feel the panic writhe in his chest like a snake in a sack.

He shook his head vehemently, "Roz, you _know_ I can't risk-"

"You asked me what I wanted," Rosario interrupted him smoothly, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. There were traces of disappointment in her face, but Jack couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye anymore, "and I told you. Just _think_ about it, okay?"

"Alright, yeah," he agreed despondently, gazing helplessly at his own legs stretched out in front of him.

Next morning, Jack sat at the table. The little, round orange pills were sitting on his napkin. He reached for them, taking them in his palm. He knew Rosario was glaring at him. But when he looked up, she busied herself catching up all her long hair into a high ponytail with her back to him. She tugged a hairtie from her wrist and secured her hair with a snap of elastic. Then she turned a little, watching from the corner of her eye. He hesitated.

Then he threw the pills into his mouth and swallowed them down with some orange juice. Maybe it was just his imagination, but the effects felt instant. A cloud of fog rolled into his mind, cushioning everything in a opaque haze. _Just for a little while longer,_ he promised himself.

It wasn't her birthday yet. And he _did_ want to give her something special.


End file.
